provided to Santiva Chronicle
The Lee County Hearing Examiner granted an extension to move the final arguments from the Eden Oak applicant and staff from June 24 to Dec. 11, 2020. The extension was granted in response to another request for a continuance filed by the applicant on May 29. The basis for the request was possible extended COVID-19 related travel restrictions that would impact the property owner.
“We will continue to advocate for the preservation of this valuable mangrove habitat and we thank the many supporters, residents, and advocates that have participated with us on this long Eden Oak journey,” said Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation CEO Ryan Orgera.
The proposed Eden Oak development is on Shell Point Boulevard at the mouth of the Caloosahatchee near the Sanibel Causeway. The applicant’s proposal is to dredge and fill 36 acres of mangrove wetlands to build 55 residential homesites with docks, including the excavation of a new canal and the creation of a boat basin with additional docks.
SCCF says the plan will put more people in the coastal high hazard area, creates new sources of pollution from runoff, create boat traffic in sensitive habitat used by a number of threatened and endangered species, and add traffic to the evacuation and emergency access on Shell Point Boulevard.
The Eden Oak parcel nomination to the Conservation 2020 land acquisition program is still active.
It’s incomprehensible to fill in wetlands to build more homes… just craziness! Please keep our wetlands and wildlife protected as they don’t have a voice. It’s up to us to protect them!🙏🏻
This is such a bad idea. They’re to upset & possibly endanger the animals natural habitat just so more wealthy people can live on the water? And how will the additional traffic be dealt with in an already overly saturated traffic area? This world has gotten their priorities so upside down to where it’s all about money & not taking care of the beautiful earth God has given us. I’m not a “tree hugger” but where does this end? Enough is enough.
Just goes to show how dumb I am… Cape Coral illegally cut down a bunch of mangroves and now must spend many $ to re-plant them since you are not supposed to cut them down. At least that’s what I saw on TV. What allows this project to cut them? More houses – No, please. Bea
More homes, more boats, more traffic? Really? Sanibel (and all of FL) needs conservation far more than development and more homes. This is a huge project that will have significant adverse environmental effects and change the landscape for ever. We are running out of places for wildlife. We have to protect what little we have left. Conservation is what has made Sanibel so special. Lets keep it that way.